Youth in Pakistan: Priorities, realities and policy responses

Abstract

ii The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues-from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives.

Adolescent girls' voices on enhancing their own productivity in Pakistan

“…The net enrollment rate (NER) is 57 percent at the primary level and 34 percent at the secondary level (PSLM 2014-15). Although gender differences in enrollment have narrowed over time, they remain high, especially at secondary levels, in rural areas, and among poorer households (Sathar et al 2016). Table 1.2 indicates clearly that the gender gap in enrolment remains largely a rural phenomenon; in urban areas, female enrolment is nearly at par with male enrolment at the primary level, and has actually exceeded male enrolment at the secondary level.…”

“…Age-specific participation rates (ASPRs) in the early teens showed a declining trend between 2005 and 2015, which is encouraging: among young adolescents (10-14 years), the rate dropped from around percent to 11 percent among boys; and from 9 to less than 8 percent among girls. Another positive sign was the increase in ASPR for young women (ages 20-24) from 21 to 26 percent, although the rate for male peers dropped from 88 to 82 percent (Sathar et al 2016). Labor force participation rates among young females show a curvilinear, Ushaped relationship with education, with higher employment rates among those who are least educated and those with a degree, and negligible participation at other levels of education (Ibid.…”

“…At ages 20-24, 9 percent of men and a much higher 16 percent of women are unemployed. Unemployment is associated with living in urban areas and, as shown in Figure 1.1, with higher educational attainment, most starkly in the case of females (Sathar et al 2016). In addition to the issue of higher unemployment among females in Pakistan, a number of studies have documented the gender gap in the quality of work as well, with female participation generally concentrated in the informal sector and in less paid positions.…”

“…While these girls may be busy with multiple responsibilities, such as household work, caring for younger siblings, and assisting their parents in agricultural work, they are largely deprived of opportunities to interact in an institutional setting, such as a school or workplace, where they might build the knowledge, skills, or relationships that could enable them to be more empowered and productive as adults. Pakistan's youth policies currently make no reference to gender, wealth quintile, or age (Sathar et al 2016). This is one reason why girls who are not in school, not in work for pay or profit and not married are not only less visible in their communities, but are also easily missed by the radar of official statistics and in development interventions.…”

“…A recent report in Pakistan again highlighted the powerful influence of gender inequalities on the trajectories of young lives, finding that adolescent girls aged 15-19 years included the largest proportion of individuals who were neither at school, nor working, though not yet married. The report argued for a more segmented approach to programming for youth, in which the special needs of homebound, older adolescent girls are especially addressed (Sathar et al 2016). In subsequent discussions, the Population Council and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) agreed that this group of vulnerable girls-those who are 15-19 years old and "not in education, employment for pay or profit, or marriage" ("NEEM"-an acronym coined for this study), requires further investigation to be brought to the attention of policymakers and other change agents in Pakistan.…”